Manchester United are reportedly interested in making a move for a world-renowned Champions League player described as the “Usain Bolt of football”.

Man Utd manager & transfer news

It’s all go at Old Trafford currently, with Erik ten Hag’s future as manager once again a talking point, following a disappointing start to the new Premier League season.

While the Dutchman doesn’t yet appear to be in huge danger of losing his job, more poor results in the coming weeks will likely change the situation, and the likes of Simone Inzaghi and Max Allegri have reportedly been eyed up as successors at United.

In terms of potential new signings in one of the upcoming transfer windows, the Red Devils have been linked with a stunning move for Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, who is one of world football’s leading young talents currently. Manchester City are reportedly the front-runners to acquire his signature, however, with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea also interested.

United are also thought to be eyeing up Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, with Luke Shaw’s injury problems making it increasingly clear that he doesn’t represent the long-term solution in his position.

Man Utd eyeing move for world-renowned speedster

According to Give Me Sport, Manchester United are considering making a move for Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies in the near future.

The report says that he is a name being “considered” along with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, but it does also stress that Real Madrid are in pole position to snap up the Canadian on a free transfer at the end of this season.

Davies could be an incredible long-term replacement for Shaw if United were able to entice him to Old Trafford, with the 23-year-old arguably the best player in Europe in his position currently.

The Bayern ace is known predominantly for his remarkable speed, which helps him be such an attacking outlet for the Bundesliga giants, and Rio Ferdinand said of him back in 2020: “He is the Usain Bolt of football. His trajectory has been phenomenal. He is now comfortably one of the best left backs in the game. What I love is his desire at both ends of the field. He utilises his pace to devastating effect.”

There was a time when if United chased a world-class player, they had every chance of getting him, given their brilliance under Sir Alex Ferguson. The likes of Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy wanted to join the Red Devils because they were the best around, but their current status under Ten Hag makes it harder to snap up the best talent.

11 fastest players in the Champions League in 2023/24

Club

Speed (km/h)

1. Nuno Mendes

PSG

37.2

2. Karim Adeyemi

Borussia Dortmund

36.3

3. Kylian Mbappe

PSG

36.1

4. Erling Haaland

Man City

36

=5. Lois Openda

RB Leipzig

35.7

=5. Marcus Rashford

Man Utd

35.7

=7. Achraf Hakimi

PSG

35.6

=7. Daizen Maeda

Celtic

35.6

=9. Alphonso Davies

Bayern Munich

35.5

=9. Mohamed Simakan

RB Leipzig

35.5

=9. Sandro Tonali

Newcastle

35.5

For that reason, the threat of Madrid is a major issue for United, with the Canada international no doubt eyeing a link-up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, but if Sir Jim Ratcliffe managed to get him on a possible free deal, it would be an almighty coup.

Shrubsole’s side make it two from two after dominant bowling display limits hosts to 110

Alan Gardner27-Jul-2021Southern Brave 112 for 2 (Mandhana 61*) beat Welsh Fire 110 for 7 (Matthews 33) by eight wicketsSouthern Brave produced a clinical all-round display to pick up a second consecutive victory of the tournament, their pursuit of Welsh Fire’s modest target overseen by an unbeaten 61 from India opener Smriti Mandhana.Cardiff’s opener in the Hundred came with the threat of rain but the sun was shining by the time Anya Shrubsole’s batters had completed the job with 16 balls to spare. Shrubsole won the toss and inserted the home side under glowering skies and then led the way in harness with 20-year-old Lauren Bell, who once again impressed in claiming the wickets of Fire’s two international-class batters, Hayley Matthews and Sarah Taylor.Fire struggled to get going, despite Matthews peeling off six boundaries – including an eye-catching uppercut over mid-off – in making 33 from 20, and were going at less than a run a ball for most of the innings. Georgia Redmayne attempted to dig in and see the innings through but managed just one four during her 15 from 20 before she became the second run-out of an impressive Brave display in the field.Georgia Hennessy was the only other batter to reach double-figures, cuffing and scrapping 23 from 24 as a shower swept through, but Brave walked off the happier at halfway. They were soon ahead of the asking rate, as Fire struggled for either wickets or the required economy, Mandhana taking advantage of being dropped on 26 to complete the formalities in company of Stafanie Taylor.Brave’s game face
Having won from adversity in their opener away to Trent Rockets, Brave pulled out another two points on the road thanks to a much more dominant display. Where they had been forced to drag themselves up from the depths of 57 for 5 at Trent Bridge, here they followed up another suffocating display with the ball – they have twice conceded just 110 from 100 – by flexing some of the top-order muscle that makes them one of the favourites for this competition.Although Danni Wyatt fell relatively cheaply, thanks to some trademark excellence from Sarah Taylor in taking a glove down the leg side, and Sophia Dunkley miscued a full toss, Mandhana took up the cudgels to drive Brave’s chase with a 35-ball fifty. Mandhana ticked up through the gears and eventually finished the match with her third six. Charlotte Edwards, the coach, clearly has her side well drilled and with their first home match coming up later this week, they will be looking to get on a roll.Clear as a Bell
Fire had made a solid-if-unspectacular start to their innings, 50 for 2 after 45 balls and with Matthews beginning to purr after thrashing the legspin of Amanda-Jade Wellington for a pair of imperious, back-to-back boundaries – one off the back foot, one off the front. With the slow bowlers looking vulnerable, Shrubsole went back to her tall, willowy spearhead, Bell.Her initial spell had seen more than a couple of inswingers disappear down leg, but after starting with a slower delivery to the set Matthews, which was pushed for a single, Bell went back to what she later described as her “best ball”. Full and curling in, Matthews flashed a drive but only succeeded in sending a thick edge to backward point. Better was to come, as Bell repeated the mantra at the top of her mark and then defeated the new batter, Sarah Taylor, with a booming indipper. Bell’s best ball was good enough to deal with two of the very best.Spin mystery
Cardiff does not have a reputation for aiding spin, not least because of the short, straight boundaries that can be a target in limited-overs cricket – but it did not seem as if the memo had made it through to either side before this game. Brave brought in Charlotte Taylor and her non-turning offbreaks, but she ended up being her side’s most expensive bowler, going for 19 from 10 – although she did also buy the wicket of Sophie Luff, who was stumped after taking six runs off the previous two deliveries.As the second innings began, however, Fire said “hold my beer”. Bryony Smith’s offbreaks had gone relatively well when she opened the bowling in their opener at Headingley, but she was immediately given the charge by Wyatt, who boshed a brace of fours through the covers in the first five. Smith was then brought back inside the Powerplay from the River End and saw Mandhana, who up to that point had 4 from 5, advance out to dump her into the stands; 10 metres more and it would have been in the Taff.Mandhana doubtless knows plenty about playing spin bowling and later in the chase she targeted Fire’s leggie, Nicole Harvey. Mandhana drove her second ball from Harvey down the ground, and although she should have been caught in the same set – Alex Griffiths missing a straightforward chance at deep midwicket – another straight six and swept four, meant the opener took 18 runs from eight Harvey deliveries, as Brave coasted towards their target.Curiously, for the second match running, left-arm seamer Katie George, who has been capped by England but spent her winter recovering from a back stress fracture, did not bowl while batting down at No. 9. Whatever the case there, Fire need to work out a more effective strategy for playing on their home patch.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a boost as one of their stars is expected to return from an injury worry in time to face Tottenham in their next Premier League game.

Arsenal's 100% record comes to an end

Arsenal were left frustrated as they threw away a 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 at home to Brighton in a game that hinged on a controversial red card for Declan Rice just five minutes into the second half.

The midfielder was handed a second yellow card for delaying the restart in bizarre fashion, which allowed Fabian Hurzeler's side to get back into the game minutes later and left the Gunners holding on for a point in the dying stages.

After the game, Mikel Arteta was left fuming at the referees once more: "I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed because of how inconsistent decisions can be.

"In the first half, there are two incidents and nothing happens. Then, in a non-critical area, the ball hits Declan (on the back of his leg), he turns around, he doesn't see the player coming and he touches the ball.

"By law, he [the referee] can make that call, but then by law he needs to make the next call, which is red card so we play 10 vs 10. This is what amazed me. At this level it's amazing."

However, Rice was far more apologetic, admitting that "it was tough, it was harsh, but it's one of those things", and adding that "If you touch ball away, even a little bit, obviously it’s a red card".

Arsenal vs Brighton: A game of two halves
Stats via Fotmob	1st Half		2nd Half
	Arsenal	Brighton	Arsenal	Brighton
Possession	47%	53%	24%	76%
Shots	6	3	5	19
Shots on target	5	0	2	4
Big chances	3	0	2	3
xG	0.98	0.08	1.09	1.74

Nonetheless, the decision dominated the immediate aftermath of the game, which resulted in both Arsenal and Brighton losing their early season 100% records and both sides falling two points behind early pace setters Manchester City and Liverpool.

Arsenal suffer injury scare

Though the decision to send off the Arsenal midfielder was the undoubted talking point at the Emirates Stadium, there was another worrying moment late on in the piece as defender Jurrien Timber went down injured.

The Dutch full back missed the entirety of last season after tearing his ACL on his Premier League debut, and there was clearly concern around that area once more as the medical staff assessed him on the pitch, before he was substituted for Oleksandr Zinchenko.

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1

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However, it appears that those fears were overstated, with Arteta giving a positive injury update on Timber in the immediate aftermath of the game and The Standard reporting a likely return against Spurs.

“No, he was I think cramping,” Arteta told the media when asked about a possible injury to Timber. “He got a kick in the first half and was cramping so we had to take him off.”

That news will come as music to the ears of the Arsenal faithful, who will already be forced to watch their side without Rice in their north London derby clash with Tottenham after the international break. Indeed, there are high hopes for Timber, who Zinchenko revealed may even be better than him last season.

With Riccardo Calafiori also signed over the summer, the Gunners have plenty of cover at left-back, but they will nonetheless be happy to keep it that way this early in the season.

Robin van Persie has been facing flak for his bizarre "tactical goalkeeper substitution" during Heerenveen's shock loss to Quick Boys.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Heerenveen were beaten 3-2 by a third-tier sideVan Persie chose to gamble by replacing his goalkeeperWas left red-faced as the substitute gave away a penaltyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Eredivisie club, currently ninth in the league standings, had taken a 2-1 lead in the KNVB Beker clash before Van Persie decided to replace starting goalkeeper Mickey van der Hart with Andries Noppert to deal with the opposition's relentless aerial attacks. However, the decision backfired spectacularly as Heerenveen suffered a humiliating 3-2 extra-time loss to the third-tier side.

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Noppert committed two critical errors, not only giving away a penalty but also conceding a Levi van Duijn header that sealed Heerenveen’s fate in the domestic cup competition. However, Van Persie has no regrets over his decision and justified his bizarre tactical change after the match as Dutch fans ridiculed his choice on social media.

WHAT VAN PERSIE SAID

"Our goal came at a crucial moment. That's why we expected Quick Boys to play more directly. They also brought in a very tall boy, so based on that I thought it was necessary to bring in Andries Noppert," Van Persie told reporters while putting up a defence.

"The substitution was tactical. Especially because Andries has the height and he is normally very good with crosses. In the end, Quick Boys did not come up with that many crosses in that phase. The penalty was crucial. But then you go into extra time and then it becomes a long evening.”

Despite his justification, the switch drew scepticism from fans, as Noppert’s lack of recent game time appeared to contribute to his struggles. The shot-stopper, who last played on November 23, entered the pitch following a brief warm-up, leading some to question whether his lack of rhythm impacted his performance.

"That could very well be the case," Van Persie admitted. "Ultimately, those kinds of crosses are difficult to process; the ball falls right in between and then, as a goalkeeper, you have to make a choice in a split second – whether or not you are in your rhythm. The cross was also very good and Andries chose to come and the player heads it in well."

The former Manchester United and Arsenal striker acknowledged the unusual nature of the change but remained steadfast in his reasoning.

"I understand that people find it illogical because this normally doesn't happen," he said. "But that's no reason for me not to do it. I look at how I think we have the best chance of winning a match. Based on that I made that choice and I still fully support it."

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Van Duijn, who scored the winner, admitted that his side was aware that Van Persie's experiment was "doomed to fail".

Whereas, an "ashamed" Noppert took responsibility for the defeat and said: "I had the feeling that I touched the ball and that it was not a penalty. But it happened to me. This is unacceptable and a disgrace. I should be ashamed. Then you look for excuses. I have to look at myself first. I was given the chance to show myself. If that doesn't work, then it's your own fault. It's a big man's world. I can only blame myself for this."

Mark Stoneman is to leave Surrey and join Middlesex on a three-year deal.Stoneman, the former England Test opener, had been offered a new deal to remain at The Kia Oval but has been lured to Lord’s by a long-term contract and the prospect featuring in all three formats of the county game. Stoneman has struggled to gain a place in Surrey’s T20 team.The 34-year-old, who has spent five years at Surrey having previously represented Durham, is to join Middlesex on loan immediately and is available for their final four LV= Insurance County Championship matches of the season. The deal secures his future at Middlesex until at least the end of 2024.”Mark brings a wealth of experience from the cricket side of things, and it will be great to use that experience to drive our young batsmen forward,” Stuart Law, the Middlesex head coach, said. “[He is] a tough no-nonsense bloke who will form an experienced opening partnership with Sam Robson at the top of the order.”This is a significant signing for us as we build a squad for future success here at Middlesex, and it won’t be the last signing we make before next season. There’ll be more to come on this in the coming weeks.”Related

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• Mark Stoneman's homecoming ton in vain as Scott Borthwick leads Durham into final

Stoneman started and finished his Surrey career with centuries. After making 165 in his first Championship innings for the club (against Warwickshire) in 2017, he finished with a List A century against Glamorgan on Tuesday in the Royal London One-day Cup semi-final. In between times, he won 11 Test caps and played an important role in Surrey’s Championship-winning side of 2018.”I have had a fantastic five years at Surrey and will be forever grateful to Alec Stewart for giving me the opportunity to represent the club,” Stoneman said. “They played a key part in helping me achieve an ambition of playing for England. It was an incredibly difficult decision to turn down their contract offer as I’ve loved being part of the Surrey family.”During my time at the club, I have received fantastic support both on and off the field. However, I was offered a fantastic opportunity by Middlesex and I’m grateful to Alec for his understanding of my decision.”Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, admitted he was disappointed to lose Stoneman, but wished him well.”We are obviously disappointed that Rocky chose not to accept our new contract, but I respect his decision and the reasoning behind his move,” Stewart said. “He has been brilliant to work with during his time at Surrey and I wish him every success as he joins Middlesex.”

Arsenal have completed a move to sign a highly rated star for their academy, it has emerged, with the Gunners looking to futureproof their side.

Arsenal show youth academy pathway

It has been a mixed few years for Arsenal’s academy, with several players leaving in search of pastures new and regular Premier League football in recent seasons. Following the crop of Hale End graduates that included Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe, there was a reluctance to risk academy talents by Mikel Arteta, either based on their talent or senior-level readiness.

Arsenal acadamy graduates’ Premier League debuts

Player

Debut

Age at debut

Myles Lewis-Skelly

September 22nd 2024

17 years 11 months 27 days

Ethan Nwaneri

September 18th 2022

15 years 05 months 28 days

Folarin Balogun

August 13th 2021

20 years 01 month 10 days

Emile Smith Rowe

December 15th 2019

19 years 04 months 17 days

Bukayo Saka

January 1st 2019

17 years 03 months 27 days

Joe Willock

April 15th 2018

18 years 07 months 26 days

That led to several high profile exits, led by Omari Hutchinson, who left the Gunners for London rivals Chelsea before eventually impressing at Ipswich Town and earning a permanent move to Portman Road over the summer after helping them get promoted back to the Premier League.

Armando Cozier-Duberry also grew tired of waiting for a first team opportunity behind Saka, making a permanent move to join Brighton over the summer, though he is yet to feature for the Seagulls and is spending the 2024/25 campaign with Blackburn Rovers.

Previously highly-rated duo Charlie Patino and Reuell Walters both left the club permanently over the summer too, with neither having made enough of an impression to land a spot in the first team, while the same was true of Brooke Norton-Cuffy after several loan spells.

But the arrival of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly has ushered in a new crop of youngsters who are keen to make their mark on the Arsenal side, and follow in the footsteps of Saka, while Arsenal are keen to show them that a pathway to the first team is available.

In the club’s Carabao Cup win over Bolton, this was made clear as Jack Porter (16), Josh Nichols (18), Lewis-Skelly (17), Nwaneri (17), Maldini Cacri (18) and Ismael Kabia (18) all featured for the Gunners, while Alexei Rojas (18) and Aiden Heaven (17) were unused substitutes. Now, Arsenal are looking to keep that conveyer belt of talent moving with another addition.

Gunners sign another young prospect

That comes as The Secret Scout reports that Mikel Arteta’s side have completed a move to sign U15 forward Joshua Sesay from Millwall’s youth ranks, with the winger already pictured signing on the dotted line.

The youngster can play on either flank and first caught the eye of the Gunners during the under-15 Floodlit Cup last season.

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The Gunners are keen to reward him.

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As per Rising Ballers on X, he is “one of the most exciting young players coming up in the country right now”, and had “all the big clubs looking to sign him”, suggesting that Arsenal have pulled off something of a coup to convince him to pick north London. Should the recent successes of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly be anything to go by, he may have made a wise choice.

Leeds United recorded their second successive win without conceding a goal in the Championship at the weekend as they beat Coventry City 3-0 at Elland Road.

The Whites had beaten Cardiff City 2-0 in the previous match and are now sitting fifth in the table after seven matches, having only lost once so far.

Daniel Farke is plotting a promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking after his side lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final in May, after they had finished third in the Championship during the regular season.

The German head coach was dealt a number of blows during the summer transfer window, though, as Georginio Rutter, Rennes, Archie Gray, and Crysencio Summerville were all sold, to Brighton & Hove Albion, Rennes, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United respectively.

Their exits did open the door for Leeds to make signings of their own, however, and the likes of Largie Ramazani, Jayden Bogle, Manor Solomon, and Ao Tanaka, among others, came through the door.

Farke’s squad was also bolstered, in an attacking sense, by the return of Brenden Aaronson, who had spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Union Berlin.

Brenden Aaronson's strong start to the season

The USA international is looking to redeem himself at Elland Road, after scoring one goal in 36 games as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in his first season at the club, and has plenty of work left to do.

The Whites reportedly splashed out a fee of £24.7m to sign the attacking midfielder from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2022 and is currently valued at just £9.2m by Transfermarkt, after difficult seasons with Leeds and Union.

This shows that Aaronson still needs to do more to raise his value and prove that it was not a huge mistake from the West Yorkshire outfit to bring him to England.

24/25 Championship

Brenden Aaronson

Appearances

7

Starts

5

Goals

2

Big chances created

3

Key passes

7

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the American dynamo has enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season since his return to the club this summer.

The 23-year-old talent, who still has plenty of time left to develop and improve at his young age, has contributed with five goals and ‘big chances’ created in five starts in the division so far.

This suggests that he is on the right track to redeeming himself at Leeds and, hopefully, there will be many more top-quality performances from the midfielder to eventually justify his huge price tag.

However, things could have been so different for the Whites if they had landed one of their top targets in one of the transfer windows before they signed Aaronson – Rodrigo de Paul.

Leeds United's interest in Rodrigo de Paul

In the summer of 2020, after Marcelo Bielsa had just led the club to the Championship title, it was reported that Leeds were interested in signing the attacking midfielder from Udinese.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

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The Guardian claimed that Bielsa was very keen to bring the Argentina international over to Elland Road and that it would have cost the Whites a fee of around £31m to snap him up from the Serie A side.

Fabrizio Romano went on to report that Leeds were in talks with Udinese to secure an agreement for the central midfielder’s signature at the start of September, at the time that they were trying to sign Josko Gvardiol – now of Manchester City.

The Argentine wizard had produced seven goals, six assists, and 17 ‘big chances’ created in 34 appearances in the Serie A for Udinese during the 2019/20 campaign, which is why his club demanded a fee of £31m.

Ultimately, no club opted to move for de Paul that summer and former Leeds sporting director Victor Orta later revealed that the financial demands from the Italian side were too much for a team that had just been promoted from the Championship.

The Whites may feel like he is one that got away from them in the end as he has gone on to enjoy a great career in recent years and is now worth more than Aaronson in the present day.

Rodrigo de Paul's current market value

At the time of writing (1/10/2024), Transfermarkt currently has his market value at €30m (£25m) and that is around £16m more than Aaronson is currently worth.

De Paul produced an outstanding nine goals and ten assists in 36 Serie A appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, after Leeds opted against a £31m move for him, and earned himself a move to Atletico Madrid.

The Spanish giants swooped in to secure his services for a fee of around £30m in the summer of 2021 and he has been a key operator for Diego Simeone in recent seasons.

He has racked up 11 goals and 17 assists in 142 appearances in all competitions for Atletico over the last three seasons or so, and has played at least 30 matches in LaLiga in all three of his full campaigns with the club.

During his time in Spain, de Paul also became a World Cup winner with Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and was a key player for his country.

2022 World Cup

Rodrigo de Paul

Starts

7

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

Duel success rate

53%

Touches per game

93.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the central midfielder started seven times for Argentina in the finals and played 102 minutes in the final against France, as his side went on to win on penalties.

He has also won two Copa America trophies with his country, either side of winning the World Cup, and this means that the midfielder has won three major trophies for Argentina since Leeds opted against a deal for him.

De Paul has proven himself on the highest stage at international level and proven himself to be a reliable player for a huge European team, in Atletico, which is why the Whites may regret not pushing the boat out to sign him in 2020.

Related The Haaland of defenders: Leeds nearly signed £77m star over Llorente

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Posts ByDan Emery Sep 29, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

No dia seguinte ao anúncio de Paulo Sousa como técnico do Flamengo, o vice-presidente de futebol Marcos Braz falou sobre a movimentação da diretoria, em Portugal, reforçou a confiança no treinador escolhido e explicou porque o clube decidiu não aguardar por Jorge Jesus, demitido do Benfica nesta semana.

Confira as declarações do dirigente, ainda em Portugal, ao canal TNT Sports.

Movimentação da diretoria por um técnico em Portugal

Foi muito intenso, mas, na minha avaliação, não foram tantos dias. As pessoas deram uma conotação pejorativa a isso, por interesse, achando que tinha novela, seriado. Não teve nada. O Flamengo chegou aqui em uma semana e na outra o Flamengo já tinha um técnico, uma comissão técnica, com todas pessoas envolvidas que achávamos que deveriam ser contratadas já contratadas.

Tiveram algumas movimentações após isso, que nada tem a ver com o Flamengo, que deu parecer que iria estar em curso outras ações, mas não foi nada disso.

Paulo Sousa tinha um contrato, tínhamos que respeitar a maneira que o técnico queria encerrar esse contrato. Fez boas relações onde estava trabalhando. Com muito cuidado, da sua maneira, rompeu esse contrato. Foi isso que aconteceu.

O Flamengo está aqui há 10 dias, fizemos reuniões com esse técnico, para dar as informações que ele estava precisando. O Paulo conhece bem o elenco do Flamengo, mas apenas precisava de informações internas para começar a trabalhar. Já está fazendo isso há algum tempo.

Escolha por Paulo Sousa

O Paulo é um grande treinador, passou por países e clubes que o capacitaram. É uma pessoa preparada, com uma comissão técnica que é acima da média. São pontos que nos deixaram tranquilos. Foi a primeira pessoa com que nos reunimos. Foi uma reunião extensa no dia seguinte a nossa chegada. Era uma decisão difícil, no conjunto da obra, mas, por várias vezes, dissemos que o objetivo do Flamengo era vir a Portugal, contratar um técnico e uma comissão técnica capacitada para tocar o Flamengo em 2022. Tinha outra pessoa que era uma opção razoável pelo histórico recente, com tantas conquistas. Viemos para cá, não foi possível exercer essa opção, e rapidamente resolvemos de outra maneira.

Decisão de não aguardar Jorge Jesus

O que posso falar é que quando o Flamengo chegou na Europa, o tempo era nosso aliado. O elenco só se apresenta no dia 10, poderíamos fazer algumas ações, tínhamos um tempo razoável para entender e conhecer um ou dois técnicos. Quando o Flamengo entendeu que o tempo começou a não ser nosso aliado, com calma, decidimos. Foi isso o que aconteceu. Eu entendo a preocupação da torcida do Flamengo, respeito a preocupação em relação a ser um determinado nome. O Marcos Braz até poderia querer esperar mais um pouco, mas o vice-presidente de futebol chegou no limite. Não podia esperar mais um dia. Posso dizer o mesmo do Bruno Spindel. Entendemos que o tempo não era mais nosso aliado, isso colocaria em risco algumas ações e o Flamengo veio para cá determinado e planejado.

Não tem novela nenhuma. Em uma semana o Flamengo tinha um técnico direcionado. Foi isso que aconteceu. Esperamos que 2022 seja um ano muito feliz. Tenho convicção que foi a melhor escolha do Flamengo.

Próximos passos de Paulo Sousa

O Paulo está fazendo reuniões com a comissão técnica, são sete pessoas de três países diferentes. Estamos passando informações. Estamos fazendo reuniões com ele. Com o Paulo ainda não contratado é uma, depois de contratado é outra. Você dá mais informações para que ele tome as decisões e faça o trabalho. O Paulo e a comissão técnica irão para a primeira semana. É uma questão de logística, voos lotados, mas vamos ajustar isso.

Glasgow Rangers kick off their Europa League season with a trip away from Ibrox to take on Malmo in the first game of the league phase on Thursday night.

The Light Blues will play eight matches in the new-look format, in an attempt to qualify for the knockout stages, and their first opponents are the Swedish outfit.

Philippe Clement’s side dropped down into this competition after they lost to Dynamo Kyiv on aggregate over two legs in their Champions League qualifiers.

The Belgian head coach will now be eyeing up a strong run in the Europa League, potentially going one step further than Giovanni van Bronckhorst did by winning the tournament.

Rangers come into this game off the back of a 3-0 win over Dundee in the League Cup on Saturday and Clement may look to make some changes to his starting XI from that clash.

With that in mind, here is the predicted Gers line-up to take to the field against Malmo in Sweden on Thursday…

1 GK – Jack Butland

Jack Butland will be between the sticks, barring any late fitness issues, as he is the nailed on number one option for Clement in goal for Rangers.

The English shot-stopper has kept 30 clean sheets in 67 appearances for the club since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, and will be in search of number 31 against Malmo.

2 RB – James Tavernier

James Tavernier will captain the team at right-back and will be hoping to build on his positive performance against Dundee in the League Cup clash.

The English defender scored his first goal of the season, from the penalty spot, and assisted Cyriel Dessers to help Rangers on their way to a 3-0 win.

3 CB – John Souttar

At the heart of the backline, former Hearts colossus John Souttar deserves to maintain his place in the starting XI after helping his side to keep a clean sheet last time out.

The Scotland international has also helped his team to keep three clean sheets in five Scottish Premiership matches this season, and will hopefully provide a strong presence at the back against Malmo.

4 CB – Robin Propper

Alongside Souttar, Robin Propper should be selected once again on the left side of the defence for the Gers, as he is comfortable playing out from the back on either foot.

Rangers have kept shutouts in three of the centre-back’s last four starts in all competitions, which shows that he has been part of a strong defensive unit.

5 LB – Jefte

Ridvan Yilmaz is currently missing through injury and that has left Jefte as the only natural left-back option in the first-team squad, which is why he will keep his place in the team.

The Brazilian full-back recently caught the eye by winning six of his seven ground duels and making two tackles and two interceptions in the win over Dundee United.

6 CM – Connor Barron

At the base of the midfield, the energetic Connor Barron should be selected once again, after an impressive start to life at Ibrox following his move from Aberdeen in the summer transfer window.

The Scotland U21 international has been a combative presence in the middle of the park for the Gers in the Premiership, with 3.0 tackles and interceptions combined and 4.0 ball recoveries per game respectively in the division.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomande

Alongside the Scottish dynamo, Clement should make the first change to the starting XI by bringing Mohammed Diomande into the team to replace Dujon Sterling.

The versatile English ace started the 3-0 win over Dundee but was withdrawn from the action at half-time, Glasgow World subsequently handed him a player rating of 5/10.

Diomande should now be unleashed ahead of the former Chelsea man, due to the creativity quality that he could bring to the team in midfield.

The Ivorian magician has created three ‘big chances’ in four starts in the Premiership this season, which suggests that the left-footed whiz has the ability to unlock the Malmo defence to create quality opportunities for his teammates.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

The second change to the starting XI could come on the right side of the attack, with Ross McCausland unleashed ahead of Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny.

In a European clash away from home, the pace of the academy graduate on the flank could be a useful weapon for Clement to have in his side, as it opens up more possibilities on the counter.

Cerny’s lack of mobility restricts what he can provide when his team is sat deeper, rather than dominating the possession and playing higher up the pitch, and that could make him more useful as a substitute if Rangers are pushing for a goal late on.

Therefore, McCausland, who came on for Cerny in the 68th minute last time out, could be preferred for tactical reasons for this clash with Malmo.

9 AM – Tom Lawrence

Tom Lawrence should keep his place in the starting XI as the number ten for Rangers after a return of two goals and one assist in his last four appearances in all competitions.

The Welsh wizard did not directly contribute to a goal in the 3-0 win over Dundee on Saturday but did provide a brilliant flick to set Nedim Bajrami away for the third goal.

10 LW – Nedim Bajrami

The Light Blues signed the Albania international from Sassuolo on deadline day and he notched his first goal contribution with an assist for Dessers on Saturday.

Bajrami, who crossed from the left for the striker to convert against Dundee, will be looking to provide a creative spark on the flank on Thursday night.

Half-century from Ali Orr and Dan Ibrahim’s 48 help give visitors first-innings foothold

ECB Reporters' Network30-Aug-2021Sussex 254 for 9 (Carson 81*, Orr 52) vs WorcestershireJack Carson hit a career best 81 not out to lead a strong fightback by the lower Sussex order on day one of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Worcestershire at New Road.Carson came to the wicket at 138 for 7 and struck four sixes and nine fours to help Sussex recover to 254 for 9 from 79.4 overs when bad light halted play for the day. He received excellent support from Dan Ibrahim and Henry Crocombe in stands of 45 and 66 to shepherd the visitors to two batting points.Carson profited from being caught by Worcestershire keeper Ben Cox off a no-ball by Ed Barnard when he had made only 2.Worcestershire club captain Joe Leach returned his best figures of the campaign – 4 for 67 from 21 overs – as Sussex were reduced to 97 for 6 at one stage but then came the Carson rescue act.Sussex opted to bat and fielded a side with six teenagers and no capped players and an average age of nineteen-and-a-half.Leach made the first breakthrough when Sussex captain Tom Haines pushed forward to a delivery and was lbw.Ali Orr, a century-maker in the Royal London Cup game at New Road earlier this month, again looked in good touch although he survived a confident leg before shout against Ed Barnard when on 18.Adam Finch came into the attack and struck when Harrison Ward nibbled at a ball slanted across him and was caught by Jack Haynes at third slip. James Coles had his middle stump knocked back after driving at Pennington.Sussex reached 71 for 3 by lunch but Leach struck twice in two balls shortly after the resumption in another fine spell. Ollie Carter shouldered arms and was bowled by the final ball of one over and then the first delivery of the next over from Leach saw on loan Fynn Hudson-Prentice perish to a superb catch by Cox – the wicketkeeper reacting sharply to hold on to the nick one-handed low to his right.Orr brought up his half-century off 117 balls with 10 fours. He had a slice of luck on 51 when mistiming a pull against Leach just wide of mid wicket. But he added only one more run before his back foot slipped against a delivery from Finch and he was out hit wicket.Ed Barnard accounted for first-class debutant Archie Lenham, who went for a pull but only edged through to Cox who pulled off another fine legside catch. But Carson had his escape off Barnard and then Ibrahim was dropped by Cox off Pennington.Leach returned after tea to have Ibrahim, on 48, lbw but some big hitting from Carson, including three sixes in the space of two overs from off spinner Josh Baker, lifted the total past the 200 mark. He dominated the partnership with Crocombe, who as lbw to Brett D’Oliveira shortly before the premature close.